Lavishly marinated rack of lamb on the grill. Fast work with delicious results – simply follow our easy instructions.
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Read on for useful information and workflow pictures (2 mins)
About This Grilled Rack of Lamb Recipe
A rack of lamb is considered the prize cut of the animal not only because of its typically eye-catching presentation but for the ultra tender, juicy meat of the loin muscle and the appetizing crust.
Our recipe gives you plenty of freedom in terms of how to flavor the meat – see the suggested marinades and dipping sauces below. It also teaches you how to cook rack of lamb on the grill using a dual-zone method which is ideal for the nature of the cut.
Ingredients for Rack of Lamb on the Grill
Frenched rack of lamb. Look for standard prepared racks of lamb which have already been frenched (the meat and connective tissues stripped from the rib bones to expose them). Typically, a rack will contain eight rib chops (and bones respectively), once in a while you will get one with nine.
Marinade. You can use a variety of fresh herbs in combination with an acidic ingredient and olive oil to compose a suitable marinade. Do not feel confined to the exact recipe below. Should you want something different – browse this recipe collection of Marinades for Lamb. You will also need kosher salt and black pepper to season the rack before you grill it.
Grilled Rack of Lamb Marinade
We love to use the marinade showcased above which we call ‘very rosemary’. It has a balance of herbal and savory aromatic notes from the fresh rosemary, garlic and onion and just enough acidity and sweetness from lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Extra virgin olive oil is always our choice as the backdrop for lamb marinades.
Thyme, parsley, a tablespoon of dijon mustard or curry powder are other appropriate flavor enhancers you can consider.
How to Prepare a Rack of Lamb for The Grill
- trim any excess fat from the meaty side of the rack but leave enough to cover the meat; it is easiest to do so while the rack is cold
- apply the marinade of your choice and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours, overnight is ideal
Grilling A Rack of Lamb
The best way to grill a rack of lamb is to use two-zone grilling.
This simply means that you will prepare your grill in a manner where one side is really hot while the other offers a more moderate temperature zone. You can do this by using the burners or situating the ash covered charcoals on one side of the grill only.
Do You Cut Rack of Lamb Before Grilling?
Do You Grill Rack of Lamb Fat Side Up or Down?
Both. You start by grilling it with the fat side down and away from the heat source to help the fat render.
Then you finish grilling it over the direct heat by alternating between the bones side up, the fat side up and onto the narrow bottom side. See the pictures below.
What Temperature Do You Grill A Rack of Lamb?
To grill a rack of lamb you need your grill at hot, about 450 F to 500 F with only the burners on one side working.
This high temperature will ensure that the indirect heat area of your two-zone grill area is in a more moderate range (300-350F).
- You begin to grill a rack of lamb with the fat side down, away from the heat source so that the fat can render and does not cause excessive flare-ups.
- You then move it over the direct heat and position it with the bones side up for the first few minutes after which you turn it over and allow the fat side to get nicely seared.
- You finish it by positioning it onto the short, meaty bottom side for the final few minutes to complete the cooking.
TIP: It is very easy for the frenched bones to catch on fire while grilling. If that rustic, charred look bothers you, simply wrap a piece of aluminum foil around each bone before you begin grilling and remove towards the end of the cooking so that the bones can brown a bit.
How to Grill a Rack of Lamb on Charcoal?
For a rack of lamb on charcoal grill you will need to set up a dual zone by placing the charcoals on one side of the grill. This is important because initially you will allow the rack to come to temperature and the fat to render by positioning it away from the hot charcoals, in the cooler side of the two-zone grill.
You will complete the cooking by moving the rack over the charcoals and grill it on all sides until an appetizing crust forms and the desired inner temperature is reached.
How Long Does it Take to Grill a Rack of Lamb Chops?
The short answer is 16 to 28 minutes. The exact time you grill a rack of lamb will depend on several factors, as follows:
- size – larger domestic animal racks of lamb will naturally take longer to cook through, while smaller New Zealand or Australian animal racks will cook faster.
- starting meat temperature – if you brought the meat to room temperature first it will cook faster
- grill temperature – how stable of a temperature you were able to maintain (charcoal and if you closed the grill lid or not)
- desired doneness – self-explanatory, see timetable below for exact ‘stop cooking’ and ‘final internal temperature’ ranges
TIP: Should the temperature of your desired doneneness not quite register when measured with a meat thermometer within the time guidelines above, simply grill for a couple of minutes longer with the fat side down.
When is a Grilled Rack of Lamb Done?
This depends on your personal preference for doneness.
Generally, a rack of lamb is best when cooked medium-rare. Definitely do not cook it past medium, the meat will begin to dry out.
You need to pull it away from the grill at a temperature slightly lower than the range attributable to each doneness as the meat will continue to cook while you rest the rack.
Observe the following:
RARE: stop cooking when 115-120 F | final serving temperature reaches 120-125 F
MEDIUM-RARE: stop cooking when 120-125 F | final serving temperature reaches 125-130 F
MEDIUM: stop cooking when 130-135 F | final serving temperature reaches 135-140 F
Note that when grilling two racks simultaneously it is perfectly normal for one to cook a couple of minutes faster than the other – minor weight differences and actual positioning relative to the direct heat source both have an impact. Simply pull the one that has cooked away earlier and allow the other one to get to temperature.
Rest and Carve
It is very important that you allow the rack of lamb to rest once it has entered the desired ‘stop cooking’ temperature range and you pull it off the grill. Not only will it continue cooking (initially) to reach the ‘final serving temperature’, but the juices will redistribute as the muscle fibers loosen.
You may tent the rack with foil during rest (onto a cutting board or a platter) to keep it warm before you slice it with a sharp knife.
Dipping Sauce for Grilled Rack of Lamb Rib Chops
In the picture above we show the grilled lamb rack served with a honey, garlic and rosemary dipping sauce which amplifies the taste profile of the marinade. If you are interested in this dipping sauce, here is the recipe.
For more options, all of them easy to prepare, browse this recipe collection – Sauces for Lamb Chops and Other Cuts.
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Grilled Rack of Lamb Rosemary Marinated
How to prepare a rack of lamb on the grill for perfectly tender, juicy meat with a delicious outside crust. Links to lamb marinade and sauce for lamb recipes. Budget time for marinating the racks - overnight is ideal, but even a couple of hours will make a difference.
Ingredients
- 2 racks of lamb, frenched
- 6 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp onion, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to season racks
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the racks, but leave enough to cover them (it will add flavor as it melts).
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl - the rosemary, garlic, onion followed by the olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Brush the resulting pasty marinade over the racks, cover them and allow to marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight if possible.
- Before grilling, bring the racks to room temperature by leaving them on the counter for about 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. (You may wrap the exposed bones with tinfoil to protect them from catching fire; remove it towards the end of the cooking time so the bones can brown).
Gas Grill
- Turn all the burners on and close the lid. When the grill is heated to high, turn off the burners on one side and leave only those on the other side on high. This will create a hot zone and a moderate temperature zone away from the direct heat.
- Place the seasoned racks fat side down onto the grates in the moderate temperature zone away from the burners. Close the lid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes - the fat will render and the meat will brown.
- Move the racks over to the hot side of the grill and place them bones down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip them over to the meaty side down and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Finally, position the racks vertically, placing them so that they support each other, with the short bottom meaty sides onto the grate. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. Check the temperature to determine if racks are done (consult ranges for various doneness levels below). Cook a little bit longer if more time is needed.
- Pull off the grill and allow to rest, loosely tented with foil, before carving.
Charcoal Grill
- Use a large chimney starter to light about 6 quarts of charcoals. When they are covered with ash, pour them on one side of your grill only. This will create a hot and moderate temperature zones. Cover and open the vent completely, bring to hot.
- Place the seasoned racks fat side down onto the grates in the moderate temperature zone away from the charcoals. Close the lid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes - the fat will render and the meat will brown.
- Move the racks over to the hot side of the grill and place them bones down, directly over the charcoals. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip them over to the meaty side down and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Finally, position the racks vertically, placing them so that they support each other, with the short bottom meaty sides onto the grate. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. Check the temperature to determine if racks are done (consult ranges for various doneness levels below). Cook a little bit longer if more time is needed.
- Pull off the grill and allow to rest, loosely tented with foil, before carving.
Notes
Doneness temperatures for grilled rack of lamb:
RARE: stop cooking when 115-120 F / final serving temperature reaches 120-125 F
MEDIUM-RARE: stop cooking when 120-125 F/ final serving temperature reaches 125-130 F
MEDIUM: stop cooking when 130-135 F / final serving temperature reaches 135-140 F
Do not cook past medium, the meat will begin to dry and toughen.
Note that domestic lamb racks are larger and will take longer to cook than racks from smaller New Zealand or Australian animals.
Sticky honey, garlic & rosemary sauce recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 207Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 72mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 7g
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